Porsche Experience Center Brings Race Car Driving to the Masses

Sports carmaker Porsche, as noted in our 2011 L.A. Auto Show Reporters' Notebook and other auto show coverage, surprised the jaded media with plans to build a driving school in Southern California.Officially named the Porsche Experience Center, the 53-acre complex centers around a massive test track and handling course. There, enthusiasts put their lessons with Porsche-trained drivers to the test in—what else?—Porsche vehicles.“Helping enthusiasts feel and connect with their vehicle’s full potential through intelligent engineering has always been a part of the Porsche philosophy,” Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, said in a statement. “Now, we are excited to turn dreams into reality for all driving enthusiasts by creating a safe, exhilarating environment for experiencing the pleasure of being in the driver’s seat.”The center's facilities and programs also teach everyday driving skills like handling ice, rain, or snow (uncommon here in the Golden state) with special sections designed to simulate those conditions as well as the all-too-common highway traffic. An off-road section is even available for Porsche Cayenne owners who want to take their near $100,000 SUVs into the woods.The Porsche Experience Center offers meeting rooms, a cafe, a gift store, and even a training/fitness facility where clients learn how Porsche drivers stay in tip-top shape for their grueling drives around the track. Programs for children are also available to teach Porsche's rich history.The Porsche Experience Center is the fifth such school worldwide and the second in the U.S.; the first center is part of Porsche's new headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Other centers are located in Great Britain, Germany, and China.Groundbreaking for the California Porsche Experience Center is schedule sometime next summer.Source: Porsche

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